[brian]

I finally had my first major malfunction in a long while: my passenger side window won't roll up all the way. It goes about halfway and then stops. Will go back down fine, but refuses to go all the way up.

I don't even know if we still have a dealer here in Austin who can look at it for me, so I figured I'd take a look myself, but I have no idea how to remove the door panel so that I can see in there.

Does anyone have a clue on how to remove the door panel? Are there hidden bolts somewhere?

-Brian

 

[Mikey43]

i had the same problem several months ago. If it was exactly the same, then the rubber channel guide for the window has come loose and is impeding the window from closing. After a couple of days the window actually pushed the channel guide up and out of the door panel (3/4 of it) Took it to the dealer who repaired it same day. Reglued the channel guide. Has operated fine ever since. Job was 2.5 man hours and $450.00.

 

[brian]

I think I found the two bolts holding the panel on. They're behind two rubber plugs on the bottom of the door. Unfortunately, the nuts appear to require a metric socket wrench, but of course I only have non-Metric. It's not clear what will happen if/when I remove those two nuts, however. Anyone know?

-Brian

 

[brian]

Well, I went to Home Depot and got a metric socket wrench, but I still can't get the door panel off. I've removed the two bolts on the bottom of the door:

... and I've removed the two bolts from behind the plastic panel by the handle:

But it still won't budge. I don't see anything else that pops off anywhere. All of the other bits seem quite tight.

There are two more bolts on the end of the door, but I'm pretty sure they're just for the latching mechanism, so I don't want to mess with those:

Heeeellp!

-Brian

 

[Harleyguy]

The door panel is only held on by the two 30mm torx behind that cover you all ready found. You need to get a flat tool I actaully have a tool made to remove door panels . A screw driver will work but its kinda thick I suggest if you use it start at the bottom of the door panel not the sides . The door panel is only held on by clips . Insert the tool at the bottom of the door panel in between the panel and the door and pry outward .
Once you get a couple of the plastic clips released just grab the door panel a d pull straight out releasing it from the door .
The bottom plugs you removed are the access points to adjust the window regulator in and out .
Once you get the door panel released you can leave it attached to the emergency release cable if you want .Get a razor blade you will need to cut the tape that holds the vapor barrier against the door . Once you do,that you will be able to take a look inside and see what's gone wrong

 

[BMW]

Resetting window

You may not need to take the door apart to reset the windows. In most cases, all you have to do is pull the fuse for the windows, reinstall it, then pull all windows up and hold the window button for 5 secs, then put them down and holding the button for 5 secs.

The two holes at the bottom should actually have seals on them. They lead to a couple of fasteners that hold the entire door together.

 

[8AVGMPG]

fyi Danny is still working at the Austin Dealer.

 

[Harleyguy]

You may not need to take the door apart to reset the windows. In most cases, all you have to do is pull the fuse for the windows, reinstall it, then pull all windows up and hold the window button for 5 secs, then put them down and holding the button for 5 secs.

The two holes at the bottom should actually have seals on them. They lead to a couple of fasteners that hold the entire door together.

The two seals are the access opening to adjust the window that's all they do . They have nothing to do with holding the door together .

 

[smoothoperator]

Any idea where to get replacement clips, or which clips work perfectly? The compression shank portion for generic GM door panel clips seem to be a tad too thin and the door panel seems to shift a bit after a few door slams.

 

[8AVGMPG]

use a thin felt washer and you should be ok

 

[smoothoperator]

So I have experimented with about 12 different door clips and it seems as if only the Fisker ones fit perfectly. I have tried Domestic and Japanese door clips with not much success. From my experience BMW door clips look very similar to what is used on the Karma but I am unsure if they will work. Regardless it is a pretty poor design to use only two torx bolts right in the middle of the door. They should have probably used panel screws to attach the panel to the door skin on the edges of the door panel. A few places would have been behind the speaker grill, by the striker/latch mechanism, and in the door pocket. These all could have been hidden and added additional strength to the flimsy plastic clips that currently hold the door panel to the door skin.

 

[Harleyguy]

Fisker is far from the only car manufacture that uses very few screws and clips mostly . Matter of fact most of the cars I work on are like that

 

[smoothoperator]

Fisker is far from the only car manufacture that uses very few screws and clips mostly . Matter of fact most of the cars I work on are like that

At the 100k+ price point I have never seen a car that use just two Torx screws and a bunch of plastic clips to hold the door together. Mercedes, BMW, Audi etc all uses several fasteners all over the the panel to ensure uniform fit. Fisker also uses packing foam as shims to ensure the door and threshold panels fit properly. Hidden torx screws could have been placed by the driver mirror control adjustments, speaker grill, inside the door pocket and on the side of the actual panel by the striker mechanism. This would have ensured more uniform fit for the life of the vehicle.

Do you use clips from Fisker or have you found an alternate clip that works just as well? I know that none of the Domestic or Japanese clips work at all. The infiniti/Nissan ones are close (same color/width and come with the foam washer) but seem to be a tad too short.

 

[Harleyguy]

I use Fisker clips all the way I never tried to out source them but I know if i tried I could find them .The kick panel clips the black ones are GM clips I bet the door panels clips are also GM you might be looking at to late of a car .The kick panel clips are Chevy .You can search a Company called AU-Ve-Co

 

[smoothoperator]

Is Au-Ve-Co the OEM supplier?

 

[scurry1074]

Harleyguy or anyone else

My right rear window is stuck in the down position. I have the door panel off and I don't see anything that is obviously wrong.

Is there a way that I can manually put the window in the up position before I put the panel back on so that I can later take it in for repair?

I took the fuse out and put it back in and the window went up. I thought maybe this had corrected the problem. When I let it back down it wouldn't go back up. I repeated the removal of the fuse but at this point it's still stuck in the down position and won't move.

Samuel

 

[scurry1074]

Does anyone have a diagram of the left rear window motor and mechanism?

I use to repair these, (replace the motors and repair the tracks) many years ago but this does not look like the ones from yesteryear. I have the door panel off and the window is struck in the down position. I can hear what sounds like a relay or a small click when I engage the switch but the window won't move.

Samuel

 

[scurry1074]

I did a hard reset and move the switch and the window went up. I was afraid to let it back down in fear that it might not go back up. The hard reset appear to be the same as removing the fuse. I was able to get it to go up by removing the fuse before.

I got some silicone and sprayed the tracks and the rubber guides and took a chance and the window now goes up and down. However, it still is not fixed. It stuck again in the down position but I was still able to get it back up by rocking the switch up and down. The silicone seem to help.

I think it is either the motor going bad or there is a possibility that the tracks could need adjusting but the tracks don't appear to be out align.

If anyone else have any ideals please let me know.

Samuel

 

[non sequitur]

I use Fisker clips all the way I never tried to out source them but I know if i tried I could find them .The kick panel clips the black ones are GM clips I bet the door panels clips are also GM you might be looking at to late of a car .The kick panel clips are Chevy .You can search a Company called AU-Ve-Co

This is a pretty old discussion, but did anyone ever find these clips? I'm referring to the grey ones that hold the door together.
I bought this set, thinking the white ones would work, but they do not: 100Pcs Rivet Push Clips Retainer Fender Liner Fastener for Ford GM + Screwdriver | eBay
Then I turned to this forum and saw others had tried and failed (and the reference to trying 12 different kinds).
The website Harleyguy mentioned is Christmas Trees, but I'm not seeing anything that looks the same.